So here I was, going through the “Fritz and music” book again to extract dates for Mildred in the earlier reply, when I come across another mention of Maria Antonia of Bavaria (Antonia for short) , married Princess Elector of Saxony, this lady: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchess_Maria_Antonia_of_Bavaria
“Fritz and Music” book says that after Wilhelmine’s death, she became his go-to correspondant for all matters musical. Hang on, thought I, I know of her, but as Maria Theresia’s most frequent correspondant among German royalty and sort of spy! Back I go to my MT biography, and yep, it’s the same lady. Daughter of MT’s rival on the throne, the short termed Wittelsbach Emperor, sister to that same Max whom MT blackmailed into voting for FS as Emperor and abandon the Wittelsbach claim on the throne if he wanted his dad’s duchy back. During the 7-Years-War (when, you know, Fritz had invaded Saxony) she went into exile to Prague but returned when the dust had settled. Her musical credentials were indeed impeccable, see wiki entry, and she not only composed operas but published them under the nome de plume Ermelinda Talea Pastorella Arcadia, ETPA for short. Because Wilhelmine isn’t the only one who can compose fictionalized RPF operas, one of ETPA’s operas, Talestris, pitches Talestris, Queen of the Amazons, versus Orontes, King of the Scythians. (That opera has a happy ending and war is averted by Amazon/Scythian marriage.)
What I’d like to know: how come Fritz, renowned misogynist with a very very few exceptions, made another one of these for MT’s pen pal?
One woman, two pen pals
“Fritz and Music” book says that after Wilhelmine’s death, she became his go-to correspondant for all matters musical. Hang on, thought I, I know of her, but as Maria Theresia’s most frequent correspondant among German royalty and sort of spy! Back I go to my MT biography, and yep, it’s the same lady. Daughter of MT’s rival on the throne, the short termed Wittelsbach Emperor, sister to that same Max whom MT blackmailed into voting for FS as Emperor and abandon the Wittelsbach claim on the throne if he wanted his dad’s duchy back. During the 7-Years-War (when, you know, Fritz had invaded Saxony) she went into exile to Prague but returned when the dust had settled. Her musical credentials were indeed impeccable, see wiki entry, and she not only composed operas but published them under the nome de plume Ermelinda Talea Pastorella Arcadia, ETPA for short. Because Wilhelmine isn’t the only one who can compose fictionalized RPF operas, one of ETPA’s operas, Talestris, pitches Talestris, Queen of the Amazons, versus Orontes, King of the Scythians. (That opera has a happy ending and war is averted by Amazon/Scythian marriage.)
What I’d like to know: how come Fritz, renowned misogynist with a very very few exceptions, made another one of these for MT’s pen pal?